I watched as Elizabeth worked so hard to tell her brother about her day.

She told him in a few sentences about her day. And I loved watching her do this. But I could see that she was working pretty hard to get it all out.

And as I watched this, I started to think about how much work her days are.

All day.

Everyday.

I don’t often let it in, these true feelings of how much work her life is. If I did, I would literally drop to my knees. Instead, I have adopted the attitude that we can and will do anything. That we will try hard. That she is succeeding. That we push her to try each day.

But on the days that I let it in, like this one. I just start thinking…

Wow, her life is really hard work from the beginning of the day to the end. From self care, functioning at college, managing her anxiety at the prospect of new things, and keeping her focus in classes. It all requires work.